European building materials supplier Saint-Gobain reported sales for 2016 of €39 billion (US$41.2 billion), down 1.3 percent from 2016. Profit increased 1.2 percent to €1.3 billion (US$1.4 billion) from the previous year.

Innovative materials sales were up 4.5 percent in 2016, while sales for the construction products sector were up 1.4 percent and building distribution was up 2.7 percent.

Geographically, sales in France were down 0.1 percent, other Western European countries were up 3.6 percent, North America was up 2 percent and Asia and emerging countries were up 6.1 percent.

“The economic environment should be positive overall, although uncertainties remain in some of our markets," said Pierre-André de Chalendar, CEO.

Fourth-quarter sales were €9.8 billion (US$10.3 billion), an increase of 0.1 percent from the same period the previous year.